Norway mosque suspect denies guilt, makes far-right sign in court

Philip Manshaus is accused of terror and murder after a failed shooting spree at a mosque and killing his stepsister.

07 May 2020 09:01 GMT

A Norwegian riot policeman stands in front of the al-Noor mosque where suspect Philip Manshaus, armed with multiple weapons, went on a shooting spree in the town of Baerum, an Oslo suburb, on August 10, 2019 [File: Terje Pedersen/NTB Scanpix/AFP]

A Norwegian man accused of carrying out a shootingat a mosque near Oslo in August and murdering his stepsister deniedguilt on both counts as his trial opened in Norway.

Prosecutor Johan Overberg read out the charges separately on Thursday. When askedby the judge how he pleaded on each count, Philip Manshaus said hedid not admit guilt.

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The 22-year-old made an OK gesture, an expression of white supremacy, with his hand before taking hisseat. The proceedings were broadcast via video link due to thecoronavirus pandemic.

Overberg said Manshaus shot his 17-year-old stepsister Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen, who wasadopted from China, four times.

Her body was found at his home inBaerum, west of Oslo on August 10, the same day as the mosque attack.

No one was shot or seriously injured at the al-Noor Islamic Centremosque, where Manshaus, who had arrived at the place of worship with several weapons, was overpowered after a struggle with twomembers of the mosque.

However, he was able to fire six shots and injured one elderly worshipper.

Police have concluded that he acted alone.

Before the attack, al-Noor Islamic Centre implemented extra security measures following the massacre of more than 50 people at two New Zealand mosques in Christchurch by a self-declared white supremacist.